


Stolen Time

by Circus_Craze



Series: Stolen Time AU [1]
Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine, Five Nights at Freddy's
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Tragedy, Crossover, FNAF Henry and BatIM Henry Are The Same Person, Gen, Heavy Angst, I Made Up The FNAF 4 Child's First Name, Originally Posted on Tumblr, This is an AU, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-30
Updated: 2018-03-31
Packaged: 2019-03-11 10:19:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 6,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13522191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Circus_Craze/pseuds/Circus_Craze
Summary: After waking from what he first thought was a terrifying dream, Michael soon realizes that he has been given another chance to save his siblings and make things right. However, something horrible is going on at the studio, and Michael doesn't know if he can stay away.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU I created. It should be explained as the story goes on, however, if you have any questions about it, you can go ask me on my Tumblr. Thank you so much for deciding to read this, and I hope you enjoy!

They had failed. The knowledge haunted him, shooting through his brain like a bullet, only so much more painful. He could hear the agonizing screams coming from Sammy as he was torn apart by the demon. The same demon that had killed the man he was with, and was undoubtedly coming after him next.

He tried to push the Searchers off of him, but they wouldn't back off. There were so many, choking the life out of him. He deserved it. After all, it was only fitting to die by the ones he failed to save. He hadn't been able to save anyone in the end. His sister, brother, the employees, and the children. All of them were dead because of him. 

Sammy's screams ended abruptly with a crack, and then there was the sound of something heavy falling down. His body, Michael guessed, barely able to think coherently. The world was fading to black around him. 

Then, the searchers were thrown off of him, obliterated by one swipe of a hand. Michael looked up to see the demon standing over him, looking down with a big, twisted grin.

“Well, look at you,” it said. “Trying so hard to stay alive. You have nothing left. What are you even living for?”

“For them. For the people you killed.”

“Hm. Well, I have to say, that's pretty interesting.” The demon thought for a moment before its grin grew even wider. “Look, I'll cut you a deal. Someone like you must have a pretty strong soul. That's why I want it.”

“If you really want it, why don't you just take it?”

“It isn't that easy. If I am to take your soul, I need you to give it up willingly.”

Michael chuckled. “Like that's going to happen.”

“What if I give you an offer you can't refuse?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I'm a demon. I can do a lot of things. I can grant your true desire. Anything you wish can become reality, and when you finally die, your soul will be mine.”

Michael was skeptical, but what he wanted was something too great to pass the offer up. Maybe he would fail, but at least he would know he tried. “Can you really grant anything?”

“Anything is possible with enough belief. I have been right time and time again. So, let me hear it. What would you give your soul for?”

“A chance to go back. To fix my mistakes. I want to be able to save them, my family, my friends.... I want a chance to do it over again.”

The demon considered it for a moment, tilting his head as he thought. Finally, he nodded. “Is that what you really want?” 

“More than anything in the world,” Michael said with a nod.

“Then, we have a deal, don't we?” It stuck out its gloved hand, grinning.

“We do.” Michael took the hand. The room started to spin around them, his head feeling like it was splitting in half. His vision faded as he fell, letting go of the demon's hand. Its laughter was the last thing he heard.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michael wakes up from his nightmare to find that he was given a second chance. One that he is willing to take.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter two of my AU. I hope you all enjoy it! Constructive criticism is welcome, and always will be. Thank you for reading!

“Michael? Are you okay? Michael, wake up!” He jerked up, eyes wide as he scanned the room. His little sister was standing right by his bed. She reached out and took his hand gently.

“Michael? Are you alright? What's wrong? I heard you making noises in here and tossing and turning.”

“Oh, yeah. I was just having a nightmare.” He said, trying to play it off as nothing. He didn't want his sister to worry about him.

Elizabeth frowned, not looking convinced. “It must have been a horrible nightmare.”

He nodded. “It was. ...Wait, what day is it?”

“It's Wednesday. There's only two more days before my birthday!”

His stomach dropped. The birthday…. He remembered it. His sister was outside, the sun shining on her, making her blonde hair glow. She was giggling, her face lighting up even more when she saw her. The robot.

It wasn't even supposed to be there, but it was a present from Joey. A little gift, one that was supposed to be harmless but wasn't. William had told him to keep his siblings away from the animatronics. He didn't know why, but they couldn't be that dangerous. They were made for children.

He had no idea how wrong he was. He only looked away for one moment, trying to get the bullies to leave his little brother alone. They always loved to torment him. His brother could never defend himself, so Michael was left to protect him. When he looked back, he saw his sister running to the animatronic. He tried to cry out for her to stop, but it was too late. The thing turned and ate her.

His sister died on her birthday. He remembered the funeral, the way his brother refused to talk for a week after. How the bags under his eyes got darker. How, when he finally talked, he told Michael about the horrible nightmares he had. All of that had happened, so how was his sister still here? 

He reached out hesitantly, his fingertips brushing against his sister's arm. She was real. He pulled her into a tight hug, his body trembling. He tried not to cry.

“Michael? What's wrong?” Elizabeth looked concerned. 

“I-I thought something bad had happened to you and Calvin.”

“It's okay, Michael. It was just a dream. We're alright.” She stood up. “Calvin is watching TV. I can go get him if you want me to.”

“N-no, it's alright. I believe you. It just…, was so real.” It was real. The events were too vivid for any dream. The dates lined up. He knew that he got the second chance he was promised. He could make it right. This time, he wasn't going to mess up.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michael already notices some differences in the timeline during breakfast, and welcomes the change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had no idea how to summarize this chapter. Not too much happens, but it will get more interesting soon. Thank you all for reading, and also for all of your support!

The bacon seared in the pan. He stirred the scrambled eggs, then shoveled them on the plate. After the bacon was done, he added it to both of the plates and sat them down in front of his brother and sister.

Calvin began eating happily after thanking his brother, his Fredbear plushie resting beside him. Elizabeth took her plate, smiling at Michael before beginning to eat.

“Hey, Michael, are you going to eat, too?” Calvin asked. 

“Yeah.” He got himself out a plate and sat down to eat with his siblings. They laughed and talked, and it was like music to his ears. He never thought he would hear his siblings laugh ever again. 

“Did Dad come home yet?” He asked.

“No,” Elizabeth answered. 

Calvin frowned. “He went to Junior's and didn't come back yet. Do you think he will?”

“I think so. He's probably just sleeping somewhere.”

“He won't be cranky again, will he?”

Michael frowned. His father probably would. He always did. “He probably will, but what if we leave before he comes back?”

“We're going somewhere?” Elizabeth asked.

“Yeah. We have to buy stuff for your party, right?” Her eyes lit up. “I got a few ideas for it I think you'll love.”

“I'm so excited!” 

Michael chuckled at his sister's enthusiasm. “Well, finish your breakfast, and think about some stuff you want for your party.”

“I'll go make a list!” Elizabeth jumped out of her chair, running to her room to grab a notebook. Calvin kept eating quietly, looking almost sad for a moment.

“Hey, want to buy Elizabeth something for her birthday?” 

Calvin nodded eagerly “I'd love to,” he frowned, “but, I don't have any money.”

“I can buy it for you. Don't worry about it.”

“Really? Thank you, Michael! You're the best!”

“You're welcome, Calvin. It's the least I can do.” Especially after all the wrong he had done. 

He pushed the thoughts away as Elizabeth came into the kitchen with her notebook. “Hey, Michael, would it be okay if we have a small party? Just the three of us?” 

“Y-yeah, of course. Why wouldn't it be?” In the last timeline, she wanted to have the biggest party possible. She invited nearly everyone, and let them invite their friends. 

“Well, originally, I was hoping for a big party, but I think that the best party would just be spending it with you and Calvin,”

Calvin looked up at her. “Really?”

“Yeah! It could still be fun. In fact, I bet it will be even more fun! We can do what we want, and no-one else can try to boss us!”

“If that's what you want, Elizabeth.” Michael tried to keep his voice steady. If Elizabeth really didn't have a big party, then that meant that Circus Baby wouldn't be there. His sister wouldn't die.

“It's going to be so much fun!” She exclaimed happily. She set to work writing, asking Calvin for ideas and giggling. Maybe he could make everything right after all.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michael takes his siblings shopping.

By the time Michael put the last of the dishes away, Elizabeth and Calvin were all dressed and ready to go. Calvin was leaving Fredbear at home, and told him goodbye before they shut the door and got into the car.

“Can we go to the mall? Please?” Elizabeth asked from the backseat. 

“Sure. We can go there.” The mall seemed like the perfect place to go, and even if it wasn't, Michael didn't think that he could deny his sister of anything. Especially after losing her before.

Maybe that was his problem. He was so easily persuaded by wanting to do what was right. He felt it was his duty, to fix the wrongs of his father. It never worked the way it should have, but if he didn't go to help, he couldn't help but wonder who would. 

They arrived at the mall almost as soon as it opened. Elizabeth was excited, talking about all the stores she wanted to go and check out. She was a few steps ahead of them, while Michael was walking with Calvin, holding his hand.

“Are there any stores you want to check out?” He asked.

Calvin thought for a moment. “Yeah. I want to go to a store that has something she'll like.” 

“I'm sure she would like anything you bought her. Tell me if anything catches your eye. Oh, and let me know if you see anything you would like.”

“It isn't my birthday.”

“Just because it isn't your birthday doesn't mean that you shouldn't get presents.”

“Hey, look at that. It's so pretty!” Elizabeth called out to them, pointing at something in a store. 

“Wait for us,” Michael called after her with a chuckle. He and Calvin smiled at each other before heading to catch up to their sister. 

As it turned out, the mall was an excellent choice. Elizabeth found a lot of nice decorations and a few toys she liked. Calvin was quiet, tugging on Michael's sleeve and pointing at whatever he thought Elizabeth would like. He finally settled on a gift for her, but wouldn't look for anything for himself.

Michael wanted to buy Calvin something as well. He liked plushies, but none of the plushies caught his eye. Until, he thought of something. 

“I have one more stop to make,” Michael told his siblings when they got into the car. “After that, we can go wherever you'd like.”

“Can we go to the park?” Elizabeth asked.

“Sure. Is that fine with you, Calvin?”

Calvin nodded. “Where are we going now?”

“To the studio.”

“You mean the one that Dad goes to sometimes?” Elizabeth asked, eyes getting wider. Michael nodded, and she started to talk excitedly about seeing the inside. “I bet the machine Dad works on is ten feet tall! I wonder what it feels like! I bet it's purple!”

“I want you two to stay in the car until I get back.”

“Stay in the car? Why?” 

“The place isn't for children. It's dangerous.” 

“Dad did say that it's pretty old.”

“It floods, too.”

“Oooh! A swimming pool!”

Michael swallowed hard, remembering the feeling of the cold ink covering him. The feeling of the hands reaching up to try and pull him under. He didn't even realize he was gripping the wheel so tightly until his hands started to hurt. 

“We won't go in if you don't want us to, Michael,” Elizabeth said finally.

He sighed. “You can come in, but I need you both to stay close to me. Don't wander off. You have to listen, okay?”

The two nodded. “We will,” they promised. He didn't like the idea, but he knew that Elizabeth would just sneak inside anyway. Especially with how wide her eyes got when they pulled up. It would be better this way, but Michael couldn't help but feel like he was making a big mistake.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michael and his siblings go into Joey Drew Studios for plushies, however they find themselves talking a slight detour.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to thank you all for your support. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Also, I want to announce that I have created an ask blog for my AU. Feel free to check it out and ask some questions if you would like. I'll provide a link to it so you can check it out if you want to. Thank you again!
> 
> https://stolentimeau.tumblr.com

“Wow,” Elizabeth breathed. “The place is so big!” She looked around with wide eyes at the room. Calvin followed her inside a couple of steps, and then stopped.

“It is. They aren't expecting us either, so try to keep your voice down and be nice, okay?” Michael asked.

“Of course,” she said with a nod. 

“This place seems scary,” Calvin said, reaching for Michael's hand. Michael took Calvin's hand.

“It does,” he agreed. “Just stay close. I won't let anything bad happen to you.”

“Hey, look at this. Isn't he cute?” Elizabeth pointed at a cardboard cutout at the far end of the room. 

“He is adorable, isn't he?” A voice asked. The three turned around quickly to see a woman standing in the hall. She had brown hair and blue eyes, and was wearing a beautiful black and white dress.

“Wow! Your dress is so pretty!” 

The woman smiled. “Thank you!” She looked at Michael. “You must be Mr. Afton’s son.”

“How… how did you know?”

“You look just like him. Why, for a moment, I actually thought you were him. Just a lot younger looking.” She chuckled to herself then smiled warmly at them. “I'm Susie Campbell.” 

“Michael Afton,” Michael replied. “This is Elizabeth and Calvin.”

Calvin waved while Elizabeth excitedly told Susie about how their father worked on the machine, not knowing that she already knew all of that.

“Do you want to come see the machine?”

“No, we-”

“Yes!” Elizabeth cried out. “Please, Miss Campbell, can we go see it?”

“Sure. It's right this way.”

“Just don't touch anything, okay Elizabeth?” Michael tried.

“Okay, Michael,” she promises. He wonders if she even was listening, but said nothing, instead tightening his grip a little on Calvin's hand. Calvin seemed to be almost as scared as he was.

“I don't really like that machine. It just feels weird,” Calvin tried to explain.

“I know. Elizabeth will only be a moment, and then we'll be leaving, alright?”

Calvin didn't reply, instead watching Elizabeth ask Susie a ton of questions about the ink machine. She reached out to touch it, and then frowned. Susie tried her best to answer, but at last admitted that she knew very little about the machine.

“I just voice one of the characters.” She said finally.

“Wait, you do?” Elizabeth's eyes lit up. 

“Yeah. I voice Alice Angel.”

“Can we go see her?”

“Well…., I mean, she isn't real yet, but we can go see some of her merchandise in my room. Oh, and I can voice a few of her lines.”

“Michael, can I go with Miss Campbell? Please?” Elizabeth begged.

“We'll just be in my office. I won't let her out of my sight.” Susie promised. 

“Sure. That's fine.”

“Calvin, come on!” Elizabeth tugged on his hand, trying to get him to follow. Calvin hesitated, looking at his brother.

“It'll be alright. Go look after your sister, okay?”

Finally, Calvin nodded. He followed Susie and Elizabeth down the hall, disappearing from sight. Michael could hear his sister's voice, and Susie's. 

He sighed, heading to the elevator and going down. He wasn't sure where exactly he should go. He wasn't familiar with the lower levels of the building. He did remember the first and second floor. The second was where Sammy had…. No, he wasn't going to think about that. He was going to get those plushies. 

Luck had it that he pressed the button to go to level K. He wasn't sure why, but he figured he could start with that one and go from there. It was clear he made the right decision, especially when he made it to the Heavenly Toys Room. There were enormous plushies there. His eyes widened as he saw the room, and knew that if Calvin was here with him, he would be just as, if not even more surprised. 

He looked around the room for a few minutes, before finally trying to think of where he had to go. This obviously had to be where they made the toys, but where could he go to buy some? 

Luckily, he didn't have to find the answer himself. A man walked into the room, muttering something under his breath and then stopping when he saw Michael. For a moment, it seemed he thought it was someone else, but then seemed to relax a bit when he realized it wasn't.

“Need something?” The man asked.

“Uh, yeah. I was wondering where you can buy plushies. Like those, but smaller,” he responded, pointing at the giant plushies. 

“Oh, yeah. Follow me.” 

“I probably should have got in touch before hand. Hopefully there's some left.”

The man just scoffed. “Of course there's some left. Not a scrap of them are sellin’. I'm telling you, we're just going to have to melt them down to be rid of them all.”

“Wow. I just figured they would be a popular item.”

“Well, you're welcome to as many as you want.” The man wasn't lying, either. The room was filled with plushies. There were a ton of them on the shelves.

“Wow. Hmm….” Michael looked around, thinking for a few moments. “I'll take one of each of the characters.” He stopped in his tracks when he saw a plushie that was different than the others. It was of Bendy, but looked like it had on a tutu. 

“How much extra for that one?” He asked.

“Extra?” The man laughed. “It's cheaper than the others.”

“What? Really? I mean, I'd expect it would be more.”

“It should be in my opinion, but I'm not the one who prices them. I just make ‘em, and trust me, that's hard enough as it is. Apparently, they're supposed to be perfect. There's no room to be creative. None of them are selling anyway, so I don't see what the big deal is.”

“Are there any more different ones like this one?”

“Oh, yeah. There's a whole shelf full.”

“Can I see them?”

The man looked like Michael had just told him that he was secretly an alien. “Of course you can! Follow me!”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After buying some plushies and other merchandise, Michael goes to find his siblings. However, he runs into someone oddly familiar.

“If you ever want any more merchandise, just let me know. Hell, I'll even give you a discount!” Shawn Flynn called after him. 

Michael turned around with a big smile. He had a bag full of toys, and had already made one trip to take more merchandise to the car. “I will. Thank you again for everything.” He called back.

After a wave, he headed up to go look for his siblings. He knew how excited they would be. He had at first thought that everything would be way too expensive, but as it turned out, it seemed that Shawn was going to pay him to take them. 

Now, the hard part was finding his siblings again. They went with Susie somewhere, and he didn't know where or how to get there. It made him nervous, but he tried not to think about anything that could happen. They would be alright. They had to be.

He was just checking the top level when he ran into someone. The man seemed oddly familiar, but Michael was certain they never met before. If they did, the man didn't seem to remember.

“Hi, I'm sorry to bother you, but I'm looking for my brother and sister. Uh, Miss Campbell was watching them for me.”

“Yeah. I just seen them a minute ago. Here, follow me. Susie is showing your sister the recording room.”

His voice sounded familiar as well. Had they met? Michael couldn't tell for certain, yet all signs seemed to hint that they did. Who was this man? He didn't remember him, and he was normally good with faces.

The man in question was skinny, with blonde hair and blue eyes. He seemed only a couple years older than Michael, looking pretty young. He was quiet, almost like he preferred to keep to himself. 

“I'm Michael Afton,” Michael said at last, hoping that the man would introduce himself as well.

“Nice to meet you. I'm Sammy Lawrence.”

His blood ran cold. He knew now why the man seemed so familiar. It was Sammy. The one who had killed the other man, and tried to kill Michael as well before his life was ended by the demon.

“Are you okay? I can go get your siblings if you need to sit down and rest.”

“No, I'm...I'm fine. I just felt weird for a moment. I don't know why.” Despite the horrible attempt at an explanation, Sammy seemed understanding.

“That happens a lot. It's been happening more frequently now. Ever since Joey built that machine, people have been getting sick in certain places. It would come and go, and we could never figure out why. Some think the place is cursed.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. It's the oddest thing. Though, I guess the ‘offerings' aren't making things any calmer. Everyone is on edge, and Joey is only making things worse with his odd behavior.”

His breath hitched for a moment. He remembered the tapes he had found. The ink, the creatures. They were all saying the same thing. That Joey had done something horrible. That he was going to do it again.

“Sammy?” He asked finally. Sammy looked at him curiously, about to say something about the odd expression on his face. “Be careful, okay? Something isn't right here.”

He expected to be ridiculed, or maybe questioned. Instead, Sammy only gave a solemn nod. “You feel it, too. I think your brother does as well. That's why he decided to stay with Norman.”

“Is he alright?”

“Yeah. Of course he is. Norman won't let him out of his sight. Honestly, sometimes, it's like the guy has eyes in the back of his head or something. I don't think there's a better person to keep an eye on him.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michael finds his siblings, and learns that he and Calvin aren't the only ones who feel like something bad is going to happen.

Susie and Elizabeth were in the recording booth just like Sammy said. She waved at her brother through the glass, excitedly exclaiming that Susie was teaching her some of the songs from the cartoon. Michael just smiled, and when he saw Calvin wave at him from the projector booth, he was relieved. He was okay. Just like Sammy promised.

He headed upstairs to the small booth. Calvin was sitting in a chair next to a man, the two talking. “Michael! Mr. Polk showed me how to work the projector!” He exclaimed happily. 

“Just Norman is fine,” the man said with a smile.

“Thank you for watching him. I should have kept them both with me.”

“It was no trouble at all. I enjoyed talking to him.”

“He could feel the weird things too,” Calvin said. Michael's smile faded, and all three of them grew serious.

“Bad stuff is happening here, isn't it?” Calvin asked. Michael wasn't sure which one of them he was asking, but luckily, Norman answered his question.

“I'm afraid so. I don't know much myself, but I have a feeling that something is terribly wrong. I'm going to investigate it soon. I have to get to the bottom of all of this.”

“Are you sure it's safe?” Calvin echoed Michael's own question out loud.

“Everything will be alright. Don't worry about me. You just make sure your sister has a happy birthday, alright?”

Calvin nodded. “Okay. Thank you, Norman.”

“You're welcome, Calvin. It was a pleasure to meet you, your sister, and your brother.”

“Why don't you go downstairs and get Elizabeth? I'll be down in a moment.”

Calvin nodded and left, leaving the two in the booth. Silence settled in for a few moments until finally, Norman spoke.

“You're worried as well, aren't you?”

“Almost as much as you are,” Michael said.

Norman shook his head. “No. It seems almost like you're more worried than I am.” He was surprised at that, but luckily, Norman didn't ask any questions. “A lot is going on, but you don't have to worry. Your siblings need you. Just focus on them, and don't worry about us. We'll manage somehow.”

“That's the problem. I'm not sure if you will.”

“Don't tell anyone else, but, I'm not sure if we will, either.” 

“Michael, are you ready to go?” Elizabeth called up to him. She waved up to the booth, and he and Norman waved back.

“I better be going.”

“It was nice meeting you.”

“It was nice meeting you as well.” Michael turned to leave.

“Oh, and uh, Michael?” He turned back to Norman, who handed him a piece of paper. “If I happen to go missing, will you head to my place and take care of my plant? It was my mother's before she passed and uh, I…..” His voice trailed off.

“I will.” Michael promised. He took the paper and gave Norman an uneasy smile before leaving. The paper had been prewritten, neat handwriting telling his address and how to get to his house, as well as how to take care of the plant. A key was taped to the paper as well. It was almost like he knew that he wasn't going to come back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, and for all of the support you've given me. It means a lot to me. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I look forward to sharing more with you.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After his meeting with Norman, Michael can't get their conversation out of his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really need to make these chapters longer.

On the way to the park, Michael couldn't stop thinking about Norman. “Don't tell anyone else, but, I'm not sure if we will, either.” He seemed almost certain he was going to die. Michael remembered what he said about going to get to the bottom of it. It made his stomach twist. He couldn't go looking for answers. If he did that, something bad was definitely going to happen.

“Michael? Are you sure you're okay?” Calvin's worried voice broke him out of his thoughts.

“Huh? Yeah, I'm fine. Why are you asking?” He asked, trying to hide his feelings.

“You just passed up the park,” Elizabeth said, pointing at it.

“Shoot.” Michael drove around the block to park. The park was relatively empty, with only a couple of kids playing. Elizabeth went to swing, and since no-one else was there, she convinced her two brothers to join her.

“Are you worried about Norman, too?” Calvin asked quietly. Michael was surprised, but nodded.

“Yeah, I am. I guess you are as well?”

Calvin nodded. “I feel like something bad is going to happen to him. I don't know why, but I can just sense it.” He turned to him and frowned. “He's not going to be okay, is he?”

Michael frowned. “I don't know. I hope so but, I don't know for sure.” He thought for a moment before turning to Calvin, attempting to smile. “Norman is smart, okay? He'll be able to take care of himself, and besides, he told us not to worry about him, and instead try to make Elizabeth's birthday party special.”

Calvin nodded. “He did.”

“Let's not let him down, alright?"

“Alright.”

“Hey, Calvin! Want to try the monkeybars with me?” Elizabeth asked, stopping the swing and turning to smile at her brother.

“Sure!” 

“I'll race you!”

Michael stopped the swing and got out of it. “I bet I can make it there before either of you can.”

“No you can't!” With a laugh, Elizabeth ran towards the monkey bars, Calvin following. She was right. Michael couldn't beat them there. Instead, he just watched her run, giggling as she did so. He never realized how much he had missed times like these.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, and for your support! I hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> It you did enjoy, and would like to know more about my AU, I actually have an ask blog for it. There, you can ask the characters questions, or you can ask me. If you don't have any questions, you can see the other ones that have been answered and some of the stuff I post there. Thank you so much!
> 
> https://stolentimeau.tumblr.com


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michael and his siblings head home to find that they have another problem to deal with. William.

When they finally got home, William was up waiting for them. He was drinking coffee and staring unhappily at the wall. “I was wondering where you went off to.” He said and he took a drink, sulking. 

“We went shopping!” Elizabeth exclaimed happily. William looked at her. 

“With how enthused you are, I take it that you didn't go grocery shopping, did you?”

“We bought Elizabeth presents for her birthday.” Calvin explained.

“I see.” 

“Is that a problem?” Michael asked with a frown.

“No, I suppose it isn't. Although, it would have been nice to have some headache medicine when I woke up.”

“It wasn't my fault you went to drown your sorrows instead of trying to sort them out.” He sighed. “Look, if you want me to, I can go pick up some groceries.”

“No, it's fine. You can just worry about it tomorrow. I need you to babysit.”

“Where are you going?”

“To the studio.”

“It's getting late.”

“I am well aware of that. I have some business to attend to, though. Is that a problem?” He asked in a mocking tone.

“No, it's not a problem.”

“Good. I suppose I can count on you to feed them.”

“Yes.”

“Well, I'm going to head out.”

“When are you coming back?” Elizabeth asked. 

William turned to look at her. “When the darn machine is actually working.” With that, he left and shut the door.

“Why is Dad so mean to you?” Elizabeth asked.

Michael shrugged. “I don't know. It's alright, though. If he's being mean to me, that means that he isn't being mean to either of you.”

“He shouldn't be mean to anyone.” Calvin frowned.

“I agree.” Michael turned to his siblings. “Are you guys hungry?” He opened the fridge to find it mostly empty. The cabinets were also almost empty as well. 

“No.” Elizabeth and Calvin replied.

“Good. How about this? We go grocery shopping, and then we get some food. What do you think?”

“It sounds good to me.” Elizabeth said happily. “Can we buy some ice cream?”

“Sure.”

“Yay!”

Michael got himself and his siblings ready, and then they all got into the car to head to the grocery store. He was glad that there were two cars, otherwise they would have to walk, and that wouldn't be easy while having to carry a ton of groceries.

They headed to the store to begin shopping. Elizabeth and Calvin helped Michael remember things that they needed to buy and they were really well behaved as they usually were. They bought some food, then headed home, where Michael let them eat while he carried in the groceries and put them away. 

“Hey, Michael?” Elizabeth asked. “Do you think they'll ever get the ink machine to work?”

“I'm not sure.” Michael answered. He hoped they wouldn't. That would be the beginning of the end for everyone there.

“I hope not.” Calvin said quietly.

“Why not? Is it because Dad said that he wouldn't come back until he got it to work?” Calvin shook his head. “Oh. Well, I hope I get to see it working. I want to know what it does.”

“Elizabeth, something isn't right with the machine. It's not safe.”

“What? It's not?” Elizabeth looked at Michael curiously.

“No. It was built wrong. It wasn't made the way it was supposed to be. It's dangerous, and if they get it to work, then it's going to hurt a lot of people.”

Calvin nodded. “A lot of bad things are happening there. Everyone is in danger.”

“If it's dangerous, then why don't they call the police or go work somewhere else?”

“They can't. There isn't any proof, and a lot of those people have nowhere to go. Besides, if they tried to leave, he wouldn't let them.”

“Who wouldn't let them?”

“Their boss. He's not a nice person.”

“Oh.” She sighed. “Is there anything we can do to help them?”

“I don't think so.” Michael frowned. “Right now, we can just keep thinking about your birthday party, and if anything happens, we can take care of Norman's plant.”

“We're going to take good care of the plant!” Elizabeth said proudly. “Maybe we can even give her a name!”

“I think the plant would like that.” Michael smiled. Calvin nodded in agreement.

“Hey, if everything turns out alright, do you think Norman will still let us see his plant?”

“I'm sure he would.”

“Yay!” Elizabeth smiled. “You know, I'm not worried. If something does happen, I know you'll be there to help. You'll be able to fix it.”

His fake grin faltered before it faded. “I hope so.” He frowned. “You shouldn't put that much trust in me. I'm not as great as you think.”

“Michael, if anyone can do it, you can.” Elizabeth said reassuringly. Calvin nodded, and they reassured him, making him feel better. He didn't believe that he would be able to fix it, but he would try his best, and that was a promise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> William is definitely a disagreeable guy. Anyway, thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed. As always, kudos and comments are greatly appreciated!!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michael spends some time with his siblings, and learns that Elizabeth knows more than he thought.

The rest of the day went by fairly quickly. They finished eating, and Michael did up the dishes. His siblings helped. Afterwards, Elizabeth begged him to come to her tea party. With a laugh, Michael agreed. He and Calvin glanced at each other with a chuckle and followed her to her room.

The small table was set up, tea cups, plates, and napkins at each place. There were chairs sat around the table, and plushies occupied them. There were three empty chairs left for them to sit in. Michael sat on one side, and Calvin sat on the other, Elizabeth sitting proudly in front with her Circus Baby plushie. They played for a while. Michael made his plushies talk in silly voices, and that made both Elizabeth and Calvin laugh really hard. By the time they were finally finished, all three of their stomachs hurt from laughing too much. 

It was getting late after that. No-one wanted to admit it, but they were all getting tired. Calvin finally caved and declared he was going to bed. Michael and Elizabeth tucked him in. “If you have any nightmares, you come see either of us, okay?” Michael reminded his brother. He always told him that when he tucked him in.

Calvin nodded. “Okay. Goodnight, Michael.”

“If you see any scary monsters or ghosts, send them my way. I'll punch them. Like this!” Elizabeth punched the air, causing all three of them to laugh.

“I will. Thank you, Elizabeth.” They left the lamp on in Calvin's room, then went into Elizabeth's room to tuck her in. He turned on her night light and covered her up. 

“Goodnight, Elizabeth. If you have any nightmares, you can always come wake me up. I'll sit up with you if you need me to.”

“I know. You tell me that all the time.” Elizabeth smiled. “Thank you, Michael. Goodnight.” She stopped him at the doorway. “You know you can do the same, right? If you have a nightmare, you can wake me up. We can talk about it.” Michael turned back to his sister. 

“Thank you, Elizabeth, but I don't want to bother you. I'll just let you sleep.”

“No. You know it feels better when you talk about your bad dreams to someone so they can assure you that everything is okay. You let me talk to you about my nightmares all the time. Besides, you don't have anyone to talk to. You can't talk to Dad. He doesn't listen. It isn't fair for you to be left out. Promise me that you'll talk to me if you have a bad dream and can't go back to sleep.”

He nodded. “I will, I promise.” He turned to leave again.

“Last night….. It was more than just a bad dream, wasn't it?”

Michael stiffened. “How did you know?”

“You almost cried. You never cry unless something super bad happened.” Michael nodded, and she continued. “The only thing is that nothing bad did happen. That means that something bad is going to happen, isn't it?”

“Not if I can stop it.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Take care of Calvin and make sure you both are careful and stay safe. Also, take care of Norman's plant.”

“You think something bad is going to happen to him?”

He nodded. “I tried to stop him, but I don't think he'll listen. You don't have to worry, though. You and Calvin should be fine just as long as you keep each other safe.”

“I won't let anything bad happen to him, Michael. I promise.”

“I know you will. You're really strong and wonderful. I know you'll do great things when you're older. Hey, how would you feel about making your birthday cake homemade tomorrow?”

“That sounds awesome! When can we do it?”

“I have somewhere I want to go tomorrow morning, but after, I'll swing by the store to pick up everything we need, and we can start on it as soon as I get back.”

“It'll be great.” Elizabeth smiled and got out of bed to hug Michael. He chuckled and hugged her back, then tucked her in and told her goodnight before going to his own room. He peeked in Calvin's room to find him fast asleep. He smiled to himself and got into bed.

Elizabeth had been right. Talking about things to people helped. Especially if someone knew something valuable. Maybe if he could tell Norman what he knew, then he would be safe and they could solve things together. How would someone know what to look out for if no-one told them? He made up his mind. He would talk to Norman tomorrow.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michael decides to head to the studio to confide in Norman, but first he has to confront his father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the long wait once again! I thank you all for your patience and support, and I hope you enjoy this chapter. The dialogue was fun to write.

He got up early as soon as William got home. Luckily, he wasn't drunk. He seemed in a pretty good mood. It was unusual, so Michael decided to ask about it. As it turned out, William was practically waiting for someone to notice his good mood.

“Oh yes, I guess you could say that I'm pretty happy. We figured out what was wrong with the machine.”

“What was wrong with it?”

“The machine wasn't getting enough power. It was built correctly, but it needed something... more. A power source that would burn brightly to give it the power it needed to run.” William smiled. “We found out what that power source is, and we should get it completed soon.”

It sent shivers up Michael's spine. “You do know that you're playing with lives, right?” William looked at him in surprise. “I thought so. After all, it's not that it's anything new for you. You've done it before, and you'll do it again. Probably without thinking too much about it. Maybe you'll even laugh. I wonder though, would you be laughing when you realize that you're playing with the lives in this house as well.”

“What are you talking about?!”

“Those machines that you're making. I know what you designed them to do. What if you look inside of one someday, and you see one of us? You say it'll never happen, but think about how easy it would be. You don't have facial recognition or anything else. Besides, they're built to kill. It's only a matter of time.” The color drains from William's face. “Even if it doesn't, you have no idea who you're working for. What if you make him angry and he decides to head here to get revenge? You know as well as I do that he doesn't care about anyone but himself. What if you come home and something follows you?”

William opens his mouth to speak but a Michael cuts him off. “Even if it doesn't, that still doesn't make what you're doing okay. Innocent lives are in your hands. The ones you two are killing have families of their own.  
They have their own dreams, goals, and friends. What gives you the right to play God and take all of those things away from them?”

“How do you even know about all of this?!” William finally demands.

“You're asking the wrong question. You should be asking yourself why you're doing all of this, and if it's really worth it. I've been a pushover for way too long. I watched you hurt everyone I care about, and I've had enough. I won't let you hurt another soul.” He got right in front of his father. “You better think long and hard about this. Are you truly willing to give away our lives for this? Better yet, are you willing to die for this? Because if you put their lives in danger, I'll kill you myself.” 

Michael turns away and leaves the house before William can say anything else. His heart is beating wildly in his chest as he hurries to his car and drives off. He needs somewhere safe to relax and clear his mind. Thoughts are jumping all around his head. Maybe he should just go to the studio already to talk to Norman. 

He decided to do that and headed to the studio. He was up pretty early, and knew that nothing bad should be happening considering the work day just started. 

He parked his car and headed inside. The place was livelier than the last time he had went. People were walking by through the room as they talked while going to their jobs. It seemed like they didn't even really notice him. He walked further into the building and was just heading out of the room when a familiar voice stopped him. “Oh, Michael Afton. What a pleasant surprise.” Joey.


End file.
